Strained
by OracleVortex
Summary: Okay, so maybe this isn't a one shoter. If you want to read the followup, click on the title!
1. Default Chapter

Strained

By OracleVortex

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Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Harry Potter.

*sigh* I vowed never to do this, but it couldn't be avoided, considering the storyline. I could do this with someone else, but it wouldn't probably work as well, and I really like the idea. Oh well. I paired Draco with *shudders* Hermione… Oy…oh well…I'll just change her snooty personality…add some good qualities…

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It was cold. It was noon. It was Friday. Hermione Granger, resident know-it-all and top-of-her-class sat alone at a long table, surrounded by books. Her transfiguration class had been cancelled, due to the fact that McGonagall had come down with a bad flu. Hermione, being Hermione, went to the library.

The room was empty, and Hermione was in her element, blissfully alone. Humming lowly, for even Madam Pince, the librarian, was outside enjoying the snowfall from the day before. 

Reaching for a book on mending charms, Hermione stopped, hearing footsteps echoing on the cold floor. She watched as Draco Malfoy entered the library, momentarily pausing in the shadow of the doorframe. He carried several textbooks and a turtleneck sweater under one arm. Capturing Hermione's gaze with his own, he strode slowly across the room. There was something different about his walk, the way that it appeared to be slightly off. He sat down across from her and dumped his books in front of him. 

"What do you want, Malfoy?" Hermione asked sharply. They were enemies through and through. Why he was approaching her was beyond him. 

"It's the transfiguration homework." Draco said bluntly. "I can't get my quail into a quill properly." He dropped a thick feather onto the tabletop. It shivered and tried to flutter away. "If you try to sharpen it, it'll flap about." Pale blue-grey irises stared at her. "How do I fix it?"

Hermione stared back at him. Was he feeling all right in the head? "What are you playing at, Malfoy? For the last five years you've resented me for everything that I am, and now you want my help?" 

Draco scowled, leaning over the table to come face-to-face with her. "I need to get this down, Granger. Will you help me or not?"

Hermione's eyes narrowed. The sun that shone in from the window had hit Draco's form, showing a shockingly thin frame through his white shirt. Hermione peered at the boy, examining him closely. Upon further inspection, she noticed that his normally lucid eyes were bloodshot and his fair skin was slightly pale. A clear complexion was tinged grey, and his jaw line was painfully sharp. His chest rose and fell slowly, drawing in heavy, deep breaths. 

"What are you staring at?" Draco asked. 

Hermione hesitated. "Are you feeling all right? You're so…thin…"

Draco frowned, glancing down and seeing how he was illuminated. Straightening, he pulled his turtleneck off of the table and over his head. Smoothing out the front of the sweater, he took a moment to fix his hair. It slicked back as usual, but it seemed to be damp with sweat. Without another word, he picked up his things and headed for the library door. 

"Wait…" Hermione circled around the table, snagging his wrist as he went by. Her fingers could feel the bones in his wrist. Earning herself a look that was half hostile and half alarmed, Draco pulled away just as she stepped forward. Draco backed into a bookshelf, panic shooting across his face. 

"What are you doing?"

Unthinkingly, Hermione reached forward to place a hand on his forehead. Draco knocked it aside, now stumbling away from the girl. "Don't touch me!" He said in alarm, his voice cracking.

Hermoine raised her hands in surrender. "You should go and see Madame Pomfrey, Malfoy. You're running a fever."

"I am not." He said defiantly, trying to switch back to his usual drawl. Books spilling out of his arm, he abruptly gripped a bookcase, using it to support his weight. "I'm perfectly fine." He muttered absently, running a trembling hand through his hair. He sank to the floor, shaking. 

Hermione knelt at Draco's side, fingers checking his pulse. It fluttered under her fingertips, and Draco was suddenly leaning against her, breath rasping past chapped lips. 

"Bloody hell…" Hermione murmured, half terrified. She laid Draco on the ground, checking his pulse once more before conjuring up a stretcher. She rolled Draco onto it and then used a levitating spell to make it float.  Then she started off for the hospital wing, his body following after her. 

  
~*~*~*~

It was three days later when Hermione again returned to the Hospital Wing. No one had heard or seen anything of Draco Malfoy that weekend, and it came as a surprise when he was absent in classes on Monday. 

Hermione, of course, knew what was going on. 

Slipping away from dinner early, she crept up to the infirmary. No one answered when she knocked on the door, so Hermione went straight in. The lights were out, and the room was dim, although it was still light outside. Walking quietly, she approached the single bed that had a human form hiding underneath its blankets. 

"Hello? Malfoy?" There was no answer, and Hermione sat on the edge of the bed. Though he had not replied, Draco was very much awake. His stormy eyes were staring blankly out the window, gentle rather than their usual harsh severity. He wore no expression, and hardly seemed to blink. 

"Malfoy?" Nothing. "Um…Dr…Draco?" Glazed eyes shifted her way. "How have you been?"

He turned onto his side, facing the window. "Go away."

"Look, Ma—err—Draco…talk to me, will you?"

"What for?" He asked quietly.

Hermione sighed; setting the pile of books that was his homework onto the night table. She pushed aside a meal tray, pausing only when she noticed that it was untouched. She picked up a bunch of grapes. "Have you eaten anything lately?"

"What's it to you?"

Hermione laid a hand on his shoulder, her heart tingeing as Draco involuntarily flinched. "Come off it. Look at me." He didn't move, and Hermione had to turn him over. "Draco, what's going on with you?"

He avoided her gaze. "Just because you got me here in one piece, doesn't mean that I owe you anything. Stay out of my business; it's of no concern to you." The aggressiveness in his voice was strained, like it was being done on purpose. 

Hermione twisted a single grape off the stem. "Eat something, will you?" She placed the fruit mere inches from his mouth. "Gods, Draco, you look like you haven't eaten for days."

"Try a couple of weeks." He muttered, pushing her hand away. "Go away, Granger."

"A couple of weeks?" Hermione repeated incredulously. "Are you _trying_ to starve yourself?" 

"Brilliant deducting, Granger." Draco sneered, eyes flashing with a familiar fire. "Now _leave_."

"Why?" Hermione burst out, ignoring him. "Why try to ki—" She looked at Draco, embarrassed. "Err…"

Draco laughed weakly. "You can say it Granger. Kill. Yes...I am trying to kill myself." He crossed narrow arms. "Happy, now that you know?"

Hermione gaped at him, speechless. Why would he try to end his life? "Draco…why?"

"Why?" He said with a hoarse voice. "Why not? How much better would the world be with one less Malfoy walking around messing lives up?" He coughed, clearing his throat. "What would you care? You and your _friends_ would lose the thorn in their side."

Hermione was flabbergasted for a second time. "That's not…well…it isn't…" She stopped. "You don't need to die, Draco."

"I don't need to live either." He said bitterly. "I don't _care_ anymore…"

There was a long pause. "Who else knows?"

Draco looked at her. "About me starving myself? No one." He glanced at her sidelong. "Just you." He leaned further back into his pillows. "No one even noticed…" He sighed.

Hermione was suddenly absorbed in examining her hands. The grapes she was holding, she deposited in Draco's lap. "Don't die, Draco…"

He looked at her. "What?"

"Don't die." She stood abruptly, turning on her heel and starting out the door. She stopped, halfway in the hall. "Just don't." Then she disappeared.

Draco watched the door for a still moment, and then turned back to the window. With an absent look, he ate one of the grapes in his lap. Then another, and then another. 

~*~*~*~

Draco Malfoy made his grand return to the society of Hogwarts a few days later. Striding into the Great Hall with his usual vigour, he seemed to have an extreme look of careful concentration on his face. Fellow Slytherins clapped and cheered to see him back, while almost everyone else groaned and tried to hide in their breakfast. 

Draco, bypassing the Slytherin table altogether, stopped halfway up the Gryffindor table, near Harry Potter and his two best friends, Ron and Hermione. Placing hands on hips, Draco waited until all three were watching him. 

"What do you want, Malfoy?" Ron asked in a hostile voice. Even though he was a pure blood just like Draco was, the Slytherin still treated him like trash. 

Draco sighed lightly, rolling his eyes. "My business has nothing to do with you, Wease—err—Weasley." He stopped himself from insulting Ron. "I need to speak with Granger. Privately."

"Whatever you are going to say to her, you can say in front of us." Harry said from across the table, sharing a confused glance with Ron. Why did he use Ron's real last name? 

Draco hesitated, his jaw set. Stormy blue eyes shifted Hermione's way, as if asking her permission. She nodded. Lifting his chin, Draco swept his robes aside, bowing grandly to Hermione, eyes still on her. 

Ron and Harry stared. "What—"

"Granger…" Draco stopped. "Hermione…will you do me the honor of attending the Yule ball with me?"

Hermione's mouth dropped open, as did everyone else's who was listening. A loud murmur ran through the room, spreading news of what Draco asked. Draco came out of the bow, two small spots of pink appearing on his cheeks. "Well?"

"Hermione," Ron hissed, "You can't! This is Malfoy!" He looked suspiciously at the boy in question. "This has to be a trick."

Hermione shook her head. "No…I will go with him." She smiled at Draco. "I will go with you."

Draco flashed a quick glimpse of a smile. It wasn't the nasty grin that he usually threw around, but a true, natural smile. "Good." He then inclined his head to Ron and Harry, turned in a typically Malfoy motion, and headed out of the hall.

"What was that?" Harry asked. "Why did he ask you to the ball?"

Hermione shrugged noncommittally, going back to her breakfast. Draco had asked her to the ball. Maybe she made a bigger impression on him than she had though. She wondered if he danced as well as he made potions…

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That has to be the shortest thing that I've ever written and liked. Wow. 

Draco: Oh, come off it. 

Me: Hey! Just because you found a new meaning in your life, doesn't mean that you can get all snooty and stuff.

Draco: I was always snooty. 

Me: … Oh. Right. I forgot. {Laughs} 

A fluffy little Draco/Hermione Fic. It turned out better than I thought. Hmm.

See ya around!

OracleVotex

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	2. The Yule Ball

The Yule Ball

By OracleVortex

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Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Harry Potter.

I was originally going to leave Strained as just a one shot, but 11 reviews after one day posted changed my mind. J I'm really surprised that so many people really liked it! So, here by reader's demand, is the only possible follow up to Strained; what happened at the Yule ball. Enjoy!

Written from Draco's point of view, as a change, and as a look…from the other side…

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Draco leaned casually against the wall, near one of the tall bay windows in the Entrance Hall of Hogwarts. He was in a position that he could see everyone and everything around him, but no one could see him. Perfect. He fiddled with the hem of one robe sleeve. They were new, navy in color and made of the finest silk. His old robes were at least two inches too short for him; he had been growing taller through out the last year. His father would be proud. 

Draco shook away the sarcastic thought. It was things like that that made him lose touch with reality. The last time that he had drifted too deep…he had almost ended it all. Draco retreated from the window, expression softening slightly. Almost. Hermione Granger, a former enemy, was the smartest in her year, and she was clever enough to put two and two together. She saw right through his charade, although it may have been a bit of a giveaway when _he_ went to her for help. A Malfoy asked for help from no one. Never. 

_She saved me…gave me a second try…_ Draco stood in the centre of the giant circle rug, and staring up the staircase. Not knowing where the Gryffindor commons room was, he had agreed to meet Hermione in the main hall. 

_I wonder if she'd wear those blue robes she wore in fourth year…_ Draco mused, absently smoothing back his hair. Surprisingly, he still remembered the way that the pale robes had flowed, weaving a mysterious air around her. At the time, he had nothing of it, but now it came to mind with alarming clarity. 

"Ahem." 

Draco blinked, the bright dress robes disappearing from his memory. At the top of the stairs, hesitant and poised, was Hermione. Draco was struck speechless as he watched her descend almost loftily down the stairs.

"Gr—Hermione…you look…"Draco scrambled for words, something that was unusual for him. Hermione only smiled as she wound one arm around his offered elbow. Gone were the robes of yesteryear, and in their place was hovering scarlet satin, giving her an exotic mystique. Her hair was pulled up, but several soft curls dangled from the loose bun. Glitter shone on her cheeks, shimmering in the light of the room. 

"Shall we?" She said pleasantly.

"Y-yes, of course." Draco pulled himself together, straightening his posture, and lifting his chin in a typically Malfoy action. 

Stepping into the hall, the both of the paused for a moment. Heads turned and gawked, whispering and marvelling at the fact that Draco Malfoy, of Slytherin house, had actually gone through on his invitation to Hermione. Sliding his hand into Hermione's, he lead her into the middle of the dance floor, fully using the 'spotlight' that had been given to them. If there was one thing that a Malfoy naturally knew how to do, it was how to put on a show. Shooting dazzling smiles at Hermione, he was all too aware of the several girls swooning on the sidelines 

"I know it's your nature," Hermione murmured into his neck during a slow dance, "But if you're only using me to flaunt your stuff and show off…I'll leave."

Draco shivered at the new sensation. "I wouldn't dream of it." He whispered into her ear. "But I do enjoy showing others what treasures and beauties that come to me…" His lips barely touched her ear, but she quivered none-the-less. "For example…you."

Hermione blushed, fingers unconsciously tangling in the loose strands of his hair. Draco fought the trained habit to smooth it down, and found that he rather liked the gesture. Pulling Hermione closer to him, he moved his head until they were looking eye to eye. She said nothing, but rather sensed what he was about to do. Amidst the hundreds in the hall, among the teachers and students and ghosts, Draco Malfoy kissed Hermione Granger. Under the watch of many incredulous friends and enemies, Hermione did the unthinkable.

She kissed him back. 

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There you are. The conclusion to the first chapter. A lot more sap in this one, but it was shorter as well. Pure fluff for a late Xmas fic. Hope you like. 

OracleVortex  
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